IndianOceanLongboardClub has its home at Yallingup beach, a spectacular surfing location near Cape Naturaliste in the south-west corner of Western Australia. The break is shared harmoniously by longboarders, shortboarders and all manner of craft .

The Club offers members a social and competitive environment and welcomes new members and their families into the tribe.

Excerpt from IndianOceanLongboard Riders newsletter December 1994:

“There is something unique about malibu surfers. Sure we all enjoy that feeling that only a surfer understands, but the mailbu riders share a wealth of surfing experience spanning decades back to a time when waves were plentiful and surfers were few compared to today.

The uniqueness is the mateship that exists amongst us, despite our various backgrounds. When we are in the water we are all the same and even in competition we are competitive but not selfish.

This club is about spirited people with a common passion, a passion for waves. So get behind your club and your mates. ‘Life is short, malibus are long.’ – Anonymous longboarder”

In the beginning

Around 1991 Surfing West Australia was approached to send a team of longborders to Crescent Heads in N.S.W. for national titles. At the time Surfing W.A. didn’t believe that there was a big enough longboarding population to warrant running State rounds to select a team.

The I.O.L.B.C was formed by a loyal bunch of longboard aficionados that saw the resurgence of longboard riding as inevitable, and disagreed with Surfing W.A. assessment. They took on the responsibility of running state rounds to select a team. These foundation members, led by inaugural President Rod Hatchett set about building a state team that proved to be a formidable presence on the National scene over the next couple of years.

As the I.O.L.B.C grew the state body started to take notice of this resurgence and resumed responsibility for the state rounds. This was largely due to the fantastic effort of the foundation members of the I.O.L.B.C.

Guys like Rod Hatchett, Dave Ellis, Vinny Williams, Mick Marlin and Bob Monkman who have been rewarded with life membership for their work in promoting longboarding on the state and national arena.By the mid to late 90’s membership had ballooned and other clubs started to emerge based around their home beach. Up until this stage the I.O.L.B.C had dominated the longboard landscape without having a geographical base. This was when the club decided to call Yallingup home.

Many of the new members had come to live in the area with one of the best longboarding waves in the state and had also become the backbone of state teams competing at the National Titles. To many, Yallingup was the home of longboard surfing in W.A. and it was also one of the best locations to host competitions with its pristine natural amphitheatre and waves.

It gave the club members a home to be proud of. Today the club has a membership of around 50 and conducts 6 club events and the Yallingup Malibu Classic spread throughout the year.
Competitions are usually followed by a social event and include prizes from a great bunch of club sponsors.
The competitions are run with a handicap system that gives surfers of all abilities a chance to be in the winner’s circle.

Many members compete in state and national events and are represented on state and national committees running these events. The I.O.L.B.C. is affiliated with Surfing W.A. and all members become part of Surfing W.A. membership. This entitles them to compete in State rounds and also insures them against injury whilst competing in club and state events.

Bill Gibson – President (2009-2011)

Competitions

The Club holds six competitions for members between late February and late November. These are low key friendly competitions on a Saturday morning and are followed by social get together and presentations in the evening.

Members meet at the Yallingup Beach carpark at 7am. The competition director decides if the event will be at Yallingup or another break nearby and compiles a list of heats from surfers who have registered for the competition.

Heats are made up of four surfers of mixed ages, ability and gender who are given 20 minutes to show their stuff. The best 2 waves for each surfer are recorded as their score. A second round of heats follows and the best 2 waves for each surfer in the 2nd round heats is added to the first round score for a final tally. Surfers are awarded points for meeting Surfing Australia’s judging criteria.

IndianOceanLongboardClub have long employed a handicap system to give everyone a chance to be a winner. The Competition Director/Tallier applies the handicap to each surfers score to get placings. When introduced, the system was based upon the golf model and provides the same equalising opportunity that golf handicaps do in competition.

At the seasons end, the highest placed surfers based upon their best results from 4 out of 6 of the competitions receive the Gill Warman Memorial Handicap Awards.

There is also a club champion ‘crowned’ on the basis of ‘raw score’ where no handicap is applied to competition results.

Each club competition is generously sponsored with prizes being awarded to the placegetters.